McLaren celebrates 20 years of Mobil 1 with special livery for Australian GP

Sponsors come and sponsors go in Formula One, but they tend to stick around awhile at McLaren. The team ran under Marlboro title sponsorship for 22 years from 1974 to 1996, and Hugo Boss has been with the team for 33 years now since 1981. But it's the team's partnership with Mobil 1 which it will celebrate with the sinister livery pictured here.

With Vodafone having left the team at the end of last season, McLaren is without a title sponsor for this season, and was expected to return to its heritage orange livery for this year's championship. But instead it's starting the season at the Australian Grand Prix with this silver and black livery to celebrate two decades of partnership with ExxonMobil.

It may not be quite as sweet as the new Williams Martini Racing livery, but it is pretty slick. Whether it stands a chance of finishing on the podium this weekend, however, is another matter. While McLaren has won the Australian Grand Prix a dozen times – more than any other team – and Jenson Button is one of the winningest drivers in the history of the Aussie race, he and the team haven't been showing too well in pre-season testing.

Show full PR text

Mobil 1 and McLaren Celebrate 20-Year Partnership in Formula 1

As the 2014 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, ExxonMobil and McLaren will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their technical and commercial relationship. In honor of the major milestone, the McLaren Formula 1 cars will feature a special livery in Australia that will include both Mobil 1™ and Mobil™ brands."

"To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mobil 1's relationship with McLaren, we are looking forward to showcasing a special branding scheme during the first race of the 2014 season," said Artis Brown, global motorsports manager, Mobil 1. "There is a lot of energy entering this race. Not only are we celebrating our 20th anniversary with McLaren, but we will be welcoming Kevin Magnussen to the team. When you combine these elements with the introduction of the new V-6 engine, this should be a very exciting weekend."

Jonathan Neale, Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO of McLaren Mercedes said, "We are privileged to have worked closely with ExxonMobil over a very successful 20 years and counting. During 332 races together we have achieved four world championships, 78 wins, 229 podium finishes and 76 pole positions, which is testament to our powerful technology partnership. Seeing the Mobil fuels branding alongside Mobil 1 on the MP-4 29 is a great recognition of the relationship's contribution to performance over our two decades together."

In addition to commemorating this 20-year relationship, ExxonMobil is also celebrating the return of the Mobil fuels brand at 7-Eleven Australia's convenience stores on the Australian east coast metropolitan markets for the first time since the sale of ExxonMobil's retail assets in 2010. Earlier this year, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd (Mobil), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd (ExxonMobil Australia), announced a long-term agreement for the sale of Mobil-branded fuels at 7-Eleven Australia's convenience stores on Australia's east coast. The new relationship provides a platform for future growth building on the company's more than 120-year history in Australia.

Mobil 1 and Mobil branded lubricants are available through ExxonMobil's network of six authorised Mobil lubricants distributors in Australia and New Zealand. ExxonMobil Australia is Australia's oldest petroleum company, operating since 1895.

ExxonMobil began its relationship with McLaren in 1995, with its Mobil 1 synthetic lubricant brand, developing new lubricants and fuels designed to help improve the race team's performance, efficiency and reliability.

McLaren has a strong record in Melbourne, with six of the team's 11 Australian Grand Prix wins coming at this Albert Park track. Jenson Button has won the race three times, and twice with McLaren Mercedes.

"We are proud to celebrate our relationship with McLaren this weekend and we are looking forward to an exciting season," said Brown.

About Mobil 1 in Motorsports

The Mobil brand's history in motorsports officially began in 1979 with a sponsorship of Williams Formula One Racing Team. From that time, the presence of Mobil 1 technology on race tracks and circuits has grown by global proportions. Today, Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil is relied on for its ability to deliver exceptional engine performance and protection.

Along with its status as the Official Motor Oil of NASCAR, Mobil 1 enjoys a long association with many of world's most popular and successful race teams, including Stewart-Haas Racing in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, McLaren Mercedes' Formula One team, Corvette Racing's TUDOR United Sports Car Championship team, Tony Stewart Racing in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, as well as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup-the world's fastest international one-make series.

About Mobil 1

The world's leading synthetic motor oil brand, Mobil 1 features anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond our conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to meet or exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or even some of the most extreme conditions. Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and help extend engine life.